Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, United Nations Affairs, Volume III

315.3/2–2153: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Mission at the United Nations ¹

confidential

Washington, February 21, 1953—8:21 p.m.

319. Following, for your information, is history of negotiations with specialized agencies on subject of arrangements under Executive Order 10422. Generally speaking, there has been much more difficulty in negotiating with the heads of the specialized agencies than with the Secretary General of the United Nations on this matter. Reasons for this are many, among which are (1) most of organizations are located outside the United States and not only is there no host government relationship involved, but also the full impact of the problem from the point of view of the United States has not been absorbed by them; (2) individual agency heads do not feel bound in any way by the report of the Commission of Jurists because they had nothing to do with the Commission’s establishment; (3) the technical agencies pride themselves in their supposed divorcement from political considerations; (4) a backwash of criticism against Lie for cooperating so fully with the United States before GA consideration has reached them; (5) some of the agencies have executive boards or councils which have some responsibilities in respect to personnel matters, and executive heads hestitate to act without their sanction; (6) relatively short term experts are important aspect technical assistance programs and freeze on employment will allegedly seriously cripple technical assistance programs. Department, however, acting through its representatives in Paris, Geneva, Rome, and Montreal, and in some cases direct contact with agency heads in Washington, has taken strong position this matter and believes satisfactory arrangements will be concluded.² Situation in each agency is as follows:

FAO. Satisfactory arrangement has been effected. DG Dodd,³ after demurring for a time on including TA experts under system, has agreed completely with our requests, has frozen all appointments pending receipt of U.S. findings. FAO is handling all forms, using U.S. citizens in senior positions administer procedure rather than regular hierarchy. Fingerprinting in Rome done by Embassy, in Washington in regional office quarters by Department of Agriculture technicians. Forms now on way to Department all employees Rome not on leave or travel status, and being sent out by FAO to persons in field. Dodd has stated to Department that in his view a subversive American cannot exercise international responsibilities for FAO, and has agreed terminate employees upon U.S. adverse finding, providing information to back it up made available to him.⁴ Dodd fortunately in U.S. discussed matter with Hickerson.⁵

WHO. As indicated your telegram 534, February 18, situation unsatisfactory.⁶ When Department first asked DG Chisholm⁷ to suspend hiring U.S. nationals pending receipt U.S. clearance, (December 1952) prior issuance Executive Order, he strongly objected, stating he would have to have Executive Board approval such procedure. After issuance Order, and after telephone conversations with U.S. Surgeon General,⁸ he appeared agree U.S. request. However, he refused participate in distribution forms, and has informed staff and others he will not await U.S. findings on short-term experts. U.S. Representative has now been instructed deliver formal U.S. note requesting full cooperation and stating continued U.S. support may be at stake. Chisholm has previously stated he has no authority participate in procedures and may turn whole matter over to Executive Board or Health Assembly.⁹ Forms have been distributed directly to headquarters personnel by U.S. Representative Geneva and fingerprinting going forward in Consulate.

ILO. Agreement reached on suspension hiring pending receipt investigations and DG Morse¹⁰ fully cooperative on substance of arrangement. However, takes same view as Chisholm regarding monitoring compliance of staff members with procedures. As in case WHO, strong formal letter now on way Geneva for immediate delivery. Assistant Secretary Labor Kaiser, leaving today ILO Governing Body session, will also discuss with Morse. Forms have been distributed directly to headquarters personnel by U.S. Representative and finger printing going forward in Consulate.¹¹

UNESCO. All hiring U.S. citizens frozen, and acting DG Taylor¹² agreed to substance of arrangement, but in concert with Chisholm, Morse reluctant monitor compliance of staff members with procedures. Strong formal letter requesting cooperation this matter presented Taylor in Washington Friday. Forms distributed to individual staff members at headquarters by liaison officer Paris Embassy and Embassy also fingerprinting. Sizeable number already received by Department. Three staff members refused fill out forms, citing Staff Association resolution asking acting DG to withhold cooperation US this matter until after UNGA debate. Letter to Taylor emphasizes dire consequences his failure to enforce their compliance.¹³

ICAO. All hiring US citizens frozen, and Chairman and SYG agree substance of arrangement, but US Representative has assumed operation distribution of forms to both headquarters and handful field employees and arranging fingerprinting headquarters staff.¹⁴

ITU. At time issuance of Order, US citizen Gross was in charge Geneva staff as SYG Mulatier absent at meeting.¹⁵ Gross agreed cooperate, Mulatier, antagonistic to US any event, upon return less cooperative, but hiring US citizens apparently frozen, and regulations require receipt of comment from Member State before hiring professional grade staff. US Representative distributing forms to staff members, as Mulatier refused do so. Formal letter identical to that sent WHO, ILO, being forwarded.¹⁶

WMO. Only one US citizen locally recruited employed. SYG Swoboda¹⁷ cooperative, but acting in concert other Geneva agency heads on position on procedures. Letter from Hickerson also being sent to Geneva.¹⁸

Bank and Fund. General agreement on substance of arrangement reached, but negotiations have been continuing on procedures. No forms distributed as yet, as agencies were seeking delay until new US federal procedures known. Representatives both agencies told Friday by Hickerson this unacceptable, and have agreed to start operations. Letters from Hickerson similar to others mentioned above will be delivered Monday.¹⁹

Arrangements with thirty-six other international organizations in which US participate and which have international staffs are at various stages of negotiation.

Dulles

1. Drafted by James F. Anderson, Acting Assistant Chief of the Division of International Administration and cleared by Joseph S. Henderson, Chief of the Division of International Administration.
2. See the Position Paper prepared in the Department of State, supra.
3. Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Norris E. Dodd.
4. General documentation concerning the efforts of the United States to implement Part III of Executive Order 10422 concerning U.S. citizens who were employees of FAO is found in the 398.03, FAO file for 1953. For an outline of the specific arrangement alluded to here, see 315.3/2–1153.
5. Memorandum of conversation between State Department officials and FAO officials in Washington on Feb. 11, 1953 is found in the Hickerson–Murphy–Key files. lot 53 D 33, “Memoranda of conversations”.
6. Documentation concerning the attempts of the United States to implement Executive Order 10422 in the World Health Organization is found in the 398.55 WHO files and in the 315.3 files.
7. Director-General of the World Health Organization, Brock Chisholm of Canada. A report of the Dec. 8, 1952 meeting with Chisholm on the U.S. request that he agree to U.S. clearance procedure is found in telegram 340 from Geneva. (398.55 WHO/12–952)
8. Dr. Leonard A. Seheele.
9. Chisholm outlined his position on the implementation of Executive Order 10422 in a letter to John D. Hickerson, Assistant Secretary for United Nations Affairs, dated Feb. 25. 1953. Chisholm stated inter alia: “Nor is it possible for me to take official action to insure that all employed or to be employed U.S. citizens complete forms for the purpose of the Government of the United States. I have no sanctions which could be employed to enforce such action. Furthermore, I should, of course have to provide the same service for all eighty-two members of the Organization, or any of them which requested such action.” (Hickerson–Murphy–Key files, lot 58 D 33, “Letters”)
10. David A. Morse, Director-General of the International Labor Organization.
11. For documentation on the efforts of the United States to implement Executive Order 10422 in the International Labor Organization, see the 398.06 ILO files.
12. Acting Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, John Wilkinson Taylor of the United States.
13. Letter of Feb. 20, 1953 from John D. Hickerson (398.43 UNESCO/2–2153). For specific documentation on the efforts of the United States to come to an acceptable agreement with the Director-General of UNESCO as regards procedures under Executive Order 10422, see 398.43 UNESCO series.
14. Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Carl Ljunberg of Sweden. The U.S. Representative was Rear Adm. Paul A. Smith.
15. Gerald C. Gross, Assistant Secretary of the International Telecommunication Union. Léon Multatier was the Secretary-General.
16. The form letter mentions the “extreme importance” Secretary Dulles “attaches to obtaining the full cooperation of all the heads of the Specialized Agencies” and asks for agreement by these heads that they will not employ any person who is shown to be, or likely to be engaged, in subversive activities against the United States (315.3/2–2453).
17. Acting Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, Gustave Swoboda.
18. Not printed (315.3/2–2553).
19. Not printed (315.3/2–2153).